THE TEX FILES: Meet our newest addition

In case you missed it, exactly one month ago, we adopted a new member into our family. His name is Little Tex (Tex for short) and he's one fuzzy little ball of fun.  Here is a little photo diary that sums up Tex's first month with us - not to mention some pretty adorable pictures, if you ask me. 

Afton and Paisley were pretty thrilled to finally arrive at the farm where Tex was born and find a bunch of playful little puppies.  We had our pick from four little 8-week-old sheltie pups, and Tex stood out right away. He was the perfect mix of playful and affectionate, spunky and sweet.  When we picked him up, we knew he was the one for our family, and I think he felt the same.  

While he may have warmed up to us right away, this was not the case when it came to travel  by car, or cars in general, walking by busy roads or basically anywhere unfamiliar, or any strange noise from air conditioning to all the sounds of urban life that we are so accustomed to.  Tex, being the tiny little pup he was, was pretty much afraid of everything.  So, we had to make some adaptations to our near daily walk to the park... 

...but once we got there, he was in his glory.  With grass to run in, wood to chew on, and endless attention from all directions, he is a happy boy.

Little by little, he's growing accustomed to life in Austin.  He likes going outside, and is pushing his limits all the time.  He's getting better and better on a leash, he loves to play with other dogs and meet new people, and - thank goodness - the air conditioner doesn't scare him at all anymore.

One of the first things we bought for Tex was a nice kennel that could be his little home-with-a-home.  Of course, coming from a farm where he was used to sleeping in a pile of little furry siblings, he didn't quite see it this way.  For the sake of our own sanity, he spent the first couple of nights very much like this:

But within a couple of days, he could be caught in here, of his own free will, enjoying some rest refuge from the two little monsters who run rampant around here...

...For as long as that lasted.  Just try keeping these two separate!

Last week, the girls and I decided to take Tex on a little adventure.  We went to our favorite place these days, Bull Creek Greenbelt.  Tex was even brave enough to get in the water!  After all, where his Afton goes, he goes too!

After a good walk and some swimming, I found Tex like this: 

Did I mention he loves being with Afton?  

Afton really doesn't mind.  We all love Tex equally, but he and Afton have had a special bond, right from the beginning.  She knows just how to play with him, getting down on all fours, head to the ground, and letting him lick her cheeks and chew on her hair.  When she cries for any reason he comes running to the rescue.  If she's in her room with the door closed, he'll stand alertly outside her door til someone lets him in.  If he's been absent too long, Afton will search the house until she finds him, calling out "Bubby?" and "Da" (Tex).

   For two lively little monsters, these two are surprisingly gentle with each other.  As most puppies do, Tex loves to bite and chew, particularly when he gets very excited. Many an appendage has fallen victim to his sharp little puppy teeth in a moment of excitement.  Rather than pull away or cry,  Afton watches him lovingly while he gently gnaws on her little fingers, arms and toes.  She trusts that he'll never bite her enough to hurt her, and you know what?  He never does.

When we return home, his bed is the first place she runs to, always thrilled to let him out of his kennel. And if you thought you were going to take him outside without her by your side, think again.  Speaking of 

which, this is how we spend a lot of our time these days. Between outings to the park and popping out for potty breaks, we're spending a lot of time outside.  It's starting to pay off, I think - knock on wood. Tex is proving to be an exceptionally intelligent dog (shelties are known for this) and is starting to catch on  to the whole house training thing already.  He's also getting pretty solid with the commands 'sit', 'come', 'drop it' and 'down'.

Soccer in the park.

Pre-bedtime snuggles.

Tex's new bling.

Playing around outside the apartment.  And to think we brought Tex out so he could excercise.

Just a girl and her dog.

So all this to say, we have a dog.  He's a lot of fun and we love him.  We also think he's pretty cute.  Looking forward to lots more adventures with our Little Tex.

RAMBLINGS OF A 3-YEAR-OLD

Lately, Paisley has a habit of starting sentences with, "Remember (or frenember, as she says it) when I was a (insert noun here) and I (insert random action here)?

Some of these have included:

"Remember when I was a baby and I used to go potty in the little potty?" Yes, this happened.

Or, "Remember when I was a big girl and I jumped from waaaaaay up high and I died?" This did not happen.

Or best of all, "Remember when I was a boy and I--" "No, no, Paisley, you were never a boy."  "I was, a long time ago"...Hmmmm...

Well, we started our early day out with this comment today, and I couldn't let it go unrecorded:

"Mom, Dad, remember when I was a BIG RABBIT and I JUMPED out of the bushes?"...What?!

David and I could not contain the laughter.  Where does she come up with these things?!  What a girl.

Here's a picture of her.  Just in case you thought she was a boy at some point.  Or a big rabbit.  Or in case you just wanted to look at that charming little face.

DAVID'S BEFORE & AFTER

BEFORE

The fated day came. Today we finally said good-bye to David's luscious locks.  Some phrases overheard in our house today were:

 "Is this a huge mistake?"

"My ears are cold."

"I feel like I'm losing a part of myself."

"If we cut my hair, I'll be a boy too." -Paisley

AFTER

"I feel empty - like I've lost my best friend."

"I guess it's for the best."

"Your mom will be so pleased." - Tanis

JUST A DAY IN MAY

If I were to portray our regular, everyday Austin life in picture form, these pictures would pretty much sum it up.   Since we share one family vehicle, the girls and I make the most of everything within walking distance. About a mile away from us is a library and a shaded shaded playground with a stream and grassy fields next to it.  This is pretty  much our second home.  

So of course, that's how we kicked off the beginning of May on this beautiful sunny Friday.  Thanks again to my friend Denise, we got some great shots to document the beauty of everyday life here in Austin.

 This is our Little Tex.  He deserves his very own post on this blog, but I couldn't resist including these photos of our sweet little pup.  So enjoy these pictures, and stay tuned for more on Tex.

These girls are quite the duo. And that hair!

Going down the slide...

And right back up again!

A little rest at the bottom before heading up for more.

Forget the slide and all that stuff, Afton could be entertained for hours on end with just wood chips and a bucket!

26 YEARS OF AWESOME.

On April 30, 26 years ago, David was born into the world.  Of course I didn't know it at the time, and until our lives merged 21 years later, I didn't know what I had been missing out on.  So, on this, David's 26th birthday, here are 26 things that make David Douma the greatest blessing in my life, and the awesome person he is!

1.  He loves dogs.  As you may know, we recently adopted a new member into our family.  Little Tex is a joy, and the decision to bring him home is owed, in no small way, to David.  I believe dog people are the best kind is, and that’s definitely true when it comes to David.

2.   He's the world's best dad! From Daddy Daughter Dates to fun family traditions, David loves spending time with his girls.  No matter how busy he may be, they’d never know it.  He always makes the most of his time for them, and there’s no mistaking how much he adores them.  Just watching him with our kiddos teaches me about how to be a better parent.

3.  He loves Disney.  I’ve always liked Disney movies, but I’ve never met someone who loved Disney quite as much as David does.  And even though I’ve been known to complain about the portion of mall time allotted to the Disney store, I think it says a lot about the things David values: family, fun, humor, overcoming trials, and happy endings. 

4.  He is driven.  When David decides he wants something, he sets his mind on it, and everything between that moment and the finish line is just details.  We’ve accomplished some hard things in our life together, and so much of that can be attributed to his drive and determination.  Along those same lines…

5.  He's a hard worker with a sense of duty.  Whether it’s fulfilling church responsibilities, to completing all of the CPA exams in one summer, or getting through a 70 hour work week, David just does it.  And what’s more, he somehow manages to come out smiling!  His work ethic has brought so many blessings to our family. 

6.  He has a great attitude.  Some things in life make you smile.  Other things make you cry.  Sometimes the good outweighs the bad, and sometimes it’s the other way around.  David believes that happiness is a choice.  So when life starts to get him down, he finds some way to be happy. 

7.  He can eat at least a dozen chocolate chip cookies at a time and not gain an ounce.  O.K. I kind of hate this.  On the other hand, I hope our children inherit those genes.

8.  He looks good in anything.  O.K., I kind of hate this one too.  Especially when I’m pregnant and standing in front of the mirror my fifth outfit.  That long, lean physique gives us all something to envy.

9.  He’s dang good at putting a baby to sleep. Whether it’s the knee bopping, or the hand holding, or whatever else it could be, this is a gift surpassing all gifts.  He's often asked by women in the halls at church if he can work his magic on their babies.  I mean seriously, what woman wouldn’t appreciate this?

10. He's a visionary man.  When we had to make the choice of where to put down roots, David’s head was filled with visions of warm climates, Barbecue, and longhorn cattle.  Mine was not.  But now that we live in Austin, TX, I’m grateful every day for persistence and his power of persuasion.  Speaking of which…

11. He can argue almost anything convincingly.  This comes in handy when playing the devil’s advocate, a favorite game of his.  It makes for some entertaining, if not enlightening, conversations!

12.  He’s got a sense of humor, and keeps me on my toes.  Sometimes I still can’t tell whether he’s being serious or not. 

13. He's a good friend.  And not only to me.  I’m amazed and his ability to maintain meaningful and lasting relationships with friends from as far back as elementary school.  I think this says a lot about the kind of person he is.

14.  He has integrity. Plain and simple.

15.  He tells it like it is, and doesn’t sugar coat things.  You know that 'smile and nod' thing we all do sometimes?  Not David.  He’s trustworthy and reliable in any situation.

16. He embraces his inner child.  David doesn’t waste any time taking himself too seriously or trying to prove himself to anyone.  While he’s more mature than most where it counts, he’s a fun-loving, playful guy who brings out the magic in life. 

17. He loves God.  His love for God and faith in Christ is a constant in his life and part of a strong foundation that our family is built upon.

18. I’ve never doubted his love for me.  This has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the kind of husband he is.  I’m grateful for this every day.

19. He’s a good dish washer.  And I hardly have to remind him to do it!  But seriously, he’s willing to share the burden when I need a little break, and sometimes, that just means the world sometimes.

20. He doesn’t complain when the house is messy.  Not that this ever happens.  Haha… Sigh.  But really, he makes me feel like he assumes that I’m already doing my best, and that he appreciates what I have done instead of noticing what I’ve missed. 

21. He’s patient with me. I know there must be times I frustrate him, especially when I’m been irrationally cranky or critical.  But somehow he weathers it, and I think we can attribute no small part of the happiness of our marriage to his patience.

22. He has an undying love and an uncanny knowledge of almost every sport. I won’t pretend that I always appreciate this - I admit, I can only watch so much football.  But looking at so many of the ways people spend their down time, I’ve thought many times how grateful I am that David has such a good hobby.  (Shh!  Don’t tell him I said that!) Besides, that kind of knowledge of anything is a pretty remarkable!

23. He loves life.  Whether it’s a spur of the moment Sheryl Crow concert, a drive out it the country, or just watching a movie as a family, David is always on the lookout for ways to enjoy life.  No rough time has ever felt all that rough.

24. He’s good at being on time.   This is one of the many ways in which his strengths balance my weaknesses.  And along that line…

25. He’s good with the green stuff – and I don’t mean salad!  David is good at budgeting and making sacrifices, while without ever feeling like we’re missing out on life.  This is certainly not a strength of mine, and I shudder to think what life would be like without this gift of his. 

26. He makes some cute kids!  I guess I helped a little, and I might be a bit biased, but just look at these two.  More importantly, he values having children more than the many other things we could be doing in life.  And that’s pretty awesome.

K, I know that’s 26 but it was hard enough squeezing it all into this many, so just one more…

27. HE MAKES LIFE AWESOME! Life can’t always be peaches and cream, but of all the people in the world to go through it with, our family is so lucky to have David.  So happy birthday, Babe.  Looking forward to many, many more.

Hiking in the Hill Country

Last Friday, something unusual happened:  I had the car for the whole day!  There was lots I could have done (errands, grocery shopping, etc.) that I wouldn't be able to get done on the weekend.  But it was a beautiful day, and I decided it would be a shame to waste such a day and such an opportunity, on errands.  So on a whim, I called up my friend Denise and she, the girls, and I set out adventuring.  

I was surprised to see numerous results come up when I googled "hiking in Austin, TX".  Apparently Austin has some great, if not mountainous, hikes!  The one I chose at random was the Bull Creek Greenbelt, just off of the Capital of Texas Highway.  What it lacked in elevation, it made up for with all kinds of little wonders I didn't expect.

We set out walking down a shady path lined with cacti and all kinds of greenery.  Watching the girls out in nature was so much fun!  They ran along like curious little puppies sniffing from one thing to the next, picking up branches as if they were shiny swords, or small grey rocks as if they were jewels.  

 Down the trail a little ways, we followed a stone staircase that led to a clearing.

At the bottom, we were delighted to find a stream bed, just a few inches deep.  Of course we took our shoes off and played in the water!

We've been reading about tadpoles and their fascinating transformation from egg to frog, so when Denise discovered a tadpole, we were all very excited.

Afton found a little waterfall that had smoothed out the slippery rocks under it, carving out a perfect slide.  She was determined to use it for its obvious purpose.  We did not.

I walked with the girls as they splashed in the water with their bare feet, uninhibited and without concern.  Together we discovered new creatures in the water, and caught our balance on the slippery rocks.  I watched them relish the challenge of stepping from rock to rock, or climbing over a big log, and I saw the wonder of childhood through their eyes.  

We walked along the stream on our way back to the car.  We spotted some colorful caterpillars, and some turtles swimming freely in a deep green swimming hole that I can't wait to visit again when I have my swimming suit with me! 

The more of this earth I get to know, the more amazed I am at the beauty of it.  Our Heavenly Father must love us immensely to have created such beauty just for us.  Too much cannot be said about the wonders of this earth, or the joy and wonder that can be felt as we let it become a part of us.  Grateful for an awesome day.